Chapter 967: Reunion

“Me?”

“That’s right. If I’m not mistaken, the other soul inside you is also of the ‘Shaman Path’,” Shen Nan said calmly,

“The combination of ‘Theater’ and ‘Shaman’ is [Nuo]… I can walk this path, and you definitely can too. So, theoretically, as long as we create a special Nuo mask that can carry his soul and nourish it with shamanic arts, the problem of two souls in one body will naturally be solved.”

If it were before, Chen Ling wouldn't have understood these words. But after witnessing Shen Nan’s past with his own eyes, he seemed to understand Shen Nan’s thinking…

Shen Nan became [Nuo] because his father transferred his own soul and the Shaman Path into a Nuo mask, which allowed Theater and Shaman to combine. And since Yao had no physical body, as long as a Nuo mask was created, perhaps he could also be transferred into it.

“If a Nuo mask can carry a soul, why make a new one? Can’t we just take an existing one and transfer the soul into it?”

“Not all Nuo masks can carry a soul. There is a certain connection between a Nuo mask and a ‘God’… For example, a mask for rain-seeking is different from a mask for exorcism. Different masks represent different personalities, and wearing different masks responds to different wishes…

To carry his soul, this Nuo mask must have an absolutely tight connection with him. Either he makes it himself, or it is made specifically for him. Therefore, no existing Nuo mask will work.”

As Shen Nan spoke, he arranged the tools on the table,

“Our family originally had a set of tools, but they were all damaged in an earthquake… Only here are some of the old-fashioned tools preserved.”

“So, I have to make this Nuo mask myself?”

“You are the one who knows the soul inside you best. You can’t expect me to make it for you, can you?”

“But I’ve never made one before.”

“I can teach you.”

Shen Nan pointed to the lock he had just reshaped, “With your abilities, learning to make a Nuo mask should be quick.”

Chen Ling fell silent.

It wasn't that Chen Ling was unwilling to make a mask for Yao, but he lacked the confidence to make a mask that truly belonged to Yao… He knew too little about Yao. In the end, he was just an outsider who had dropped into the Third District, and he hadn't even met Yao many times. How could he make a mask that would be closely connected to Yao?

“Yao…”

“Give it a try,” Yao’s voice sounded in his mind, sounding somewhat helpless, “You can’t expect me to make it myself… can you?”

Yao currently had no body, and even if he floated out, he couldn't hold the tools. And since Chen Ling was standing on the stage, he couldn't let Yao take over his body. Right now, besides Chen Ling, there was truly no one else who could do it.

Chen Ling took a deep breath, “Alright, I’ll try.”

……

A car slowly pulled over in front of the road.

“…Is this the place?” Lu Xun turned his head to look at Yang Xiao in the passenger seat.

“According to the phone signal location, this is definitely the place,” Yang Xiao pointed to the side road, “Keep going straight from here.”

“Alright.”

Lu Xun drove the car toward the village.

“Why did Director Chen come to a place like this?” Su Zhiwei sat in the back seat, looking around and asking in confusion.

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s Director Chen’s old home?”

“Is his old home here?”

“I don’t know either… he never mentioned it himself,” Yang Xiao paused for a moment, “Come to think of it, other than the fact that Director Chen is called Chen Ling, we don’t know anything else.”

“He is a mystery in himself,” Lu Xun narrowed his eyes, “When we were at Shennongjia, I knew he definitely wasn't simple. He… how should I put it, it feels like he knows certain things will happen and has been guiding everything.”

“And he seems to have known for a long time that some changes would happen to us,” Su Zhiwei added thoughtfully.

“Regardless, he has no malice toward us… As for the rest, we can ask more. If he’s willing to answer, that would be best.”

The vehicle slowly drove into the village, again causing the villagers here to look on with curiosity. They drove around the village once and finally, under many puzzled gazes, drove into the open space of Chen Ling and Shen Nan’s old house.

Lu Xun and the other two unbuckled their seatbelts and got out of the car one after another, falling into deep thought as they looked at the two-story old house…

At the same time, a figure walked out of the house.

“Who are you?” Shen Nan looked at these uninvited guests suspiciously.

“…Shen Nan?”

Su Zhiwei stepped forward a few steps. When Shen Nan saw her, he felt she looked somewhat familiar.

“You are…”

“I’m Su Zhiwei.”

“Su Zhiwei??” Shen Nan looked at her in surprise, “It’s been so many years, you’ve really changed a lot… How did you come here? Did Old Xiao come too?”

“No, Old Xiao didn't come, but she has always been thinking of you.”

“You know each other?” Lu Xun joined the conversation naturally.

“Yes, Shen Nan is the son of Master Shen Li. Back then, something happened to their family, and they stayed at Teacher Xiao’s house for a while… so, we were neighbors.”

“So you are Shen Nan, nice to meet you.”

Lu Xun naturally reached out his hand, “I’m Lu Xun. Although we haven't met formally, I’ve often heard your name at the 749 Bureau.”

“So it’s you…”

Lu Xun dealt with the 749 Bureau all year round, and even Shen Nan had heard of him. But at this juncture, seeing someone related to the 749 Bureau still made his heart tighten.

“Are you here to catch ‘World-Ender’? Or to catch me?”

“Neither. I don’t work for the 749 Bureau anymore. We are Director Chen’s friends.”

With Su Zhiwei there, Shen Nan wasn't too vigilant toward them. After all, Su Zhiwei was one of Old Xiao’s people, and Old Xiao was indeed helping Chen Ling… Thus, Shen Nan’s gaze fell on the last person.

“And this is…”

Yang Xiao wasn't as sociable as Su Zhiwei and Lu Xun. He just stood silently at the back and reached out his palm, “My name is Yang Xiao.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“So, where is Chen Ling?” Su Zhiwei finally asked.

Shen Nan turned around and pointed into the distance.

In the desolate field, a figure was sitting on a small stool he had moved from somewhere, holding a piece of wood in one hand and a carving knife in the other, his head lowered in deep thought.

A moment later, he raised the carving knife and made a cut along the edge of the wood, carving out the outline of a human head in just a few strokes.

But after looking at it carefully for a long time, he shook his head. Wisps of electric light flashed across his palms, and the wood in his hand instantly reshaped and restored itself, as if it had never been carved at all.

After Chen Ling pondered for a long time, he raised the carving knife once more…

This process was repeated at least six or seven times. Ten minutes later, he still held a complete piece of wood in his hand, sitting in the field like a sculpture.

“…” Lu Xun was baffled,

“What is he doing?”